Life Before Damaged Vol. 10 (The Ferro Family) (2 page)

I
’m leaning
against the doorframe to her room, watching Gina silently while she sits on her bed, her back to me. She’s so engrossed in what she’s doing she doesn’t notice me standing there, observing her.

How did I ever get this damn lucky?

For what I have to do, we could easily stay here tonight, but I made a promise to myself. I'm going to give her everything her heart desires and more, and that’s what tonight is all about, making her fairytale come true. She deserves nothing less. When she confided in me about her family’s Christmas traditions and her yearly date with her father, a plan began to form in the back of my mind. This Christmas will be her most memorable Christmas ever.

Even though I gave him back his company, Gina’s father still isn't speaking to her. I've been able to arrange secret meetings with her mother, but Mrs. Granz is worried she'll get caught, so the visits are short. I don't know who that bastard thinks he is, but he has two incredible women and he treats them like they are ignorant and insignificant. Gina never mentions it, but I know his behavior hurts her. I see the pain of rejection in her eyes. I can’t take his place, but I’ll do my best to fill the void that ass left.

There’s still so much I need to make up to her. If it weren't for my reckless behavior at the rave, she never would have suffered so much. I’ve taken so much away from her. Still, even after all the shit I've pulled, she seems to love me as much as I love her. She’s my rock.

I want her and only her. I was so wrong—love doesn’t kill passion, love ignites passion.

I glance at my watch. It’s getting late. If we don’t leave soon, we’ll miss the show. There are places I want to take her beforehand, and I want to make sure we get everything done.

She still hasn't noticed I'm watching her, and I take a few steps closer, lowering my mouth next to her ear. She's busy scribbling notes in a book. “Hey, beautiful, it's almost time to go.”

Gina jumps and lets out such a high-pitched shriek it's a wonder the guard dogs haven't started barking yet. She clutches her chest with her hands and when she spins around on her bed to scold me, her eyes narrow deliciously.

“Pete!" She laughs and sucks in air at the same time, making a wheezy sound. She closes her notebook rapidly, stuffing it and the pen into the drawer next to her bed. When she turns around, her face is red, blushing like she was caught doing something wrong. I guess I’ll have to go looking in that drawer and see what my girl has been up to. She tries to give me one of her mock-evil glares, but the expression morphs quickly to appreciation.

“Hey, you look hot!” She sounds surprised and then grins. “Well, more than usual, I mean.”

Her reactions catch me off guard frequently, making me laugh when I least expect it. It’s like I’ve been living in the dark my entire life and she’s my ray of light. It was blinding at first, and I tried to hide from it, but now it’s a craving. She makes me want to be happy.

Since tonight is a very special occasion, I'm wearing a suit she’s been begging to see me in. It’s navy blue with a matching tie and a white dress shirt. I even put on the black saddle shoes she bought me on our first date in the city.

Gina pushes herself off the bed and saunters toward me slowly, not hiding the fact that she’s ogling me thoroughly from head to toe. It sends a rush of excitement coursing through my veins.

She’s dressed in dark jeans and one of my t-shirts. I take in her sweet floral scent combined with my cologne. She smells like us. She leans in to straighten my tie. I doubt my tie was crooked to start with, but, hell, I’m not going to tell her that.

I manage to form words even though I keep thinking about my plan to end the night with her naked body tangled together with mine. I want to make her feel loved and cherished. I want her to know she’s a goddess in every sense of the word.

I clear my throat and push the thoughts away so I can think. “You better get ready to go, we’ll be late. I’ll be waiting for you at the front door. Meet me there when you’re ready.”

Gina looks up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers and nods. “Okay. Give me fifteen minutes,” she replies in her sweet, soft voice. To most, she might be mistaken for a fragile woman, the perfect housewife who’ll attend to her husband’s every request, but she isn’t. Gina is the toughest person I’ve ever met. Her resolve is unbreakable. Even as her world crumbles around her, she only sees the good in everyone, striving to focus on hope. At first I thought she was naïve, but that’s not it. She’s simply Gina.

I bend down and kiss her forehead, then retreat down the hallway.

I make a quick stop to my room to retrieve the little box I’ve kept hidden from Gina since I picked it up yesterday. I open it up to make sure its precious content is safe. The ring is platinum with diamonds channel-set into the band. The larger diamond sits at the center of what looks like diamond encrusted petals, creating the shape of a rose. It’s unique, delicate, and sparkles brightly—just like Gina. Despite all my mother's planning, this choice, this ring needed to be chosen by me. I snap the box shut and put it in my pocket before heading toward the front door, where Jonathan and his date are waiting for me.

“Hey, Johnny!” I give my brother a quick slap on the back and nod to his date with a bit of a smirk, “and it’s nice to see you again.” Jon’s date blushes and looks down at the floor. She’s the young woman who barged in on Gina and me while we were dancing in the ballroom a month ago—the reason Gina was upset enough to drive off in my mother’s Porsche. It’s uncanny how much Jon's date resembles Gina from afar, especially dressed the way she is. She’s wearing Gina’s wardrobe-malfunction dress—as Gina calls it—from the night of the merger gala. It’s her most publicized outfit, which suits our purposes for the evening. We even had a professional makeup artist replicate Gina's tattoo.

I pull two envelopes from my inner jacket pocket and hand them to my brother. “Here you go. The tickets for the function are in one envelope, and the check for the orphanage is in the other. Don’t fuck this up, Johnny.” I hate talking down to Jon like he’s a kid, but he’s impulsive on his good days and helplessly irresponsible on his bad days. It’s like thinking is always one step too hard for him. He prefers to act first, then figure out how to escape trouble later.

Jon takes the envelopes from me and rolls his eyes. “I’ve got this, Pete.” He sticks the envelopes in his jacket then taps the lapel.

“Got what?” Gina’s voice and the clicking of her heels on the stairs echo down to us. I turn to look at her.

She’s stunning as usual, wearing a black dress with long sleeves, a wide, almost over-the-shoulder collar, and a very tight skirt that flares at the knee. She looks like she stepped out of a time machine, straight from the 40’s.

Stopping beside me, Gina gives Jonathan a what-the-hell look, her tiny fists resting on her hips and her toes tapping on the floor. "Um, am I the only one who sees the unhealthy family dynamics, here?”

Jon laughs at her statement and shakes his head.

I stand there watching, hands in my pockets, my fingers fumbling with the little box that must stay hidden for now.

“Jonathan, I always knew you had a bit of a crush on me, but isn’t this taking it a bit too far?” Her eyes shift to Jon's date. The poor woman fidgets nervously under Gina's gaze. "Oh, and, uh, I'm sorry about the other day and for mentally calling you words I can't say out loud. It was an understandable misunderstanding."

The woman's eyes widen and her jaw drops. Jon saunters over and stands toe-to-toe with Gina. She’s so much shorter than he is, but it doesn't seem to affect her. “Baby, anytime you want to ditch this asshole for me, you just let me know, and I’m yours.” He places both hands flat on his chest and turns on his charisma.

What the fuck is he doing? His date is standing beside us while he's propositioning my soon-to-be fiancé.

Okay, that’s enough. I step in, putting my arm around Gina’s tiny frame, pulling her to my side and pushing my brother away. Smiling, I laugh at him. “Asshole. You better get going. And Jon, do NOT screw this up. I mean it. Don’t make me break your face.”

Jon laughs it off and goes back to his date. Gina looks up at me in confusion. “I thought we were going to the orphanage fundraiser?”

I smile down at her. “We are. Or at least, the paparazzi will believe we are. Jon and his date are taking our places. By the time the photographers figure out it’s not us, we’ll be long gone. That’s why she’s wearing your clothes.”

“Thank God! This whole scene was a little creepy without that information. So tell me, what are we doing tonight instead?”

I hold out Gina’s winter coat and help her slip her arms into the sleeves. I drop a kiss on her neck, and she shivers as I whisper in her ear, “It’s a surprise.”

J
on
and his date leave first. We wait, making sure the paparazzi camped outside our gates follow them, before taking Jon’s car and heading toward Manhattan. The entire drive, my hands rhythmically tighten around then release the steering wheel, my leather gloves creaking. I’m a nervous wreck, and Gina can tell.

She places a hand on my thigh. “Pete? What’s the matter?”

I turn to her briefly, taking my eyes off the road only a fraction of a second. Her concerned eyes temper my anxiety. I don’t want her worried about me.

“Nothing. I’m just hoping you like what I have planned for us tonight.” With a gloved finger, I draw a line along her jaw. She dips her head down to kiss my finger and smiles.

“I’m sure I’ll love it. We’re together, right? And without any cameras following us, it’ll be wonderful.”

And Gina is right. The date is fantastic. We walk around various Christmas sites and attractions in the city. Gina plays tour guide in all her favorite spots, stopping to stare at the elaborate window displays at Macy’s. Her eyes light up with wonder in each new place. She tries coaxing me into taking a picture on Santa’s lap, but there’s only so much pussy-whipping a man can take. I’m not doing that.

"Awh. Come on, Pete!" Gina tugs on my hand, but I don't budge. She stomps her feet like a spoiled toddler. It's cute but also the opening shot in a battle of wills. "You're a big ol' Grinch! You know that, right? Do this for me? Please?" She folds her hands together pleadingly while batting her eyelashes.

I stuff my hands in my pockets and step in closer, towering over her. I lean in, my lips barely touching her ear. I wait a bit, letting the tension build as I breathe heavily in her ear. I drop my voice to a low whisper. "If anyone sits on a lap tonight, it's you on mine, and it sure as hell won't be with a department store elf hanging over our shoulder." I straighten, watching her reaction.

Her eyes go wide, and her breath quickens. I take a step back, leaving her with promises of things yet to come, confident my clever distraction will spare me from the photo op. A couple steps further, I notice she hasn't caught up with me. New York City feels crowded on any day of the year, but during the holidays it's mayhem. We could easily get separated due to the thick waves of people all pushing through the streets at once. I crane my neck, searching for Gina in the crowd. My stomach sinks as I finally spot her.

She's talking to one of Santa's elves at the front of the line for photos, handing him our admission fee and waving me over, a huge, victorious grin on her face.

Shit! The sound of a whip cracks inside my head and I grudgingly join her to pose with Santa.

"Ho, ho, ho," Santa says jovially. I note a twinkle in his eye, but it looks more like amusement at my situation than Christmas spirit. "And what would you like for Christmas, young man?"

Gina giggles from Santa's right knee as she motions to Santa's left knee. "All he wants for Christmas is a picture with you, Santa," she says innocently, leaving me no escape. With a grimace, I sit as lightly as possible on Santa's knee, then spring up as soon as the flash goes off. Gina gracefully stands and blows Santa a kiss, before bouncing off to retrieve the photo from the elves. Santa lets out another booming laugh before standing to shake my hand--gifting me the opportunity to reclaim a shred of my dignity.

"Life is short," Santa says softly with a wink. "Enjoy it." He returns to his chair, already greeting the children in line behind us.

Back outside and heading for our next destination, we walk hand in hand along the cold winter street again. Her free hand holds the embarrassing portrait of us with Santa out for me to see. I peer down my nose at the offensive image, wallowing in defeat. "So is this really part of your tradition? The picture on Santa's lap? I didn't see any other adults posing for a photo with Old St. Nick."

She turns her head from left to right, making sure she doesn't step on anyone as we weave our way through the crowds. "Nope. First time in years--not since I was twelve-years-old at least."

I stop and pull her back. "So why did we just sit on Santa's lap?"

"To see if you'd do it." She winks and stretches to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Where to next?"

"The Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall." Gina's face lights up.

Mr. Granz usually takes her to see the Nutcracker, but I decided to mix things up a bit. Throughout the performance, her legs twitch as if she’s holding herself back from dancing along. She tries to hide it, but I see her bottom lip tremble and a tear slide down her cheek when the Rockettes do their homage to the Nutcracker.

I spend the entire show fumbling with that little box hidden in my pocket.

After the show, I take her to Roberto's restaurant. We haven't been back here since our first date in the city. She seemed to enjoy the gold pizza, so I made plans with Roberto to have it ready for us.

We sit in a private corner with no curious eyes watching us and no camera flashes indicating our picture is being taken. The lighting is muted, the music is soft, the mood is nothing short of enchanting.

After the waiter fills our glasses, he retreats to give us some much-needed privacy. I raise my glass to her in a salute. "Congratulations on another semester. Only one more to go. So what is my future Bachelor of Business Administration graduate going to do with her shiny new diploma? Any ideas?"

She taps a finger on her chin. "Hmmm. Let's see. Once I have my BBA degree, I think I might try for my MRS degree and marry a really hot guy." She leans against the table, pushes the bread basket to the side, and drops her voice to a whisper like she's letting me in on a big secret. She looks from side to side, pretending to make sure no one is listening. "And I don't mean just any guy, I'm talking about a smoking hot guy--like a puddle of drool hot."

The more she talks, the more my chest puffs up. Other women's opinions of me never really counted for much. I knew they lusted over my reputation, attracted by my name and money. That reaction was a given. But to have Gina describe her attraction to me never gets old. She isn't interested in the Ferro family package. She's just interested in me.

I sip my wine and watch her eyes sparkle with mischief.

"So do you think Jon would be down for that? Is he the marrying kind?"

I choke on my wine. "Jon?"

Gina giggles wickedly as I dab my chin with my napkin.

I shake my head. "Seriously, though. Have you thought about it? Graduate school, getting your MBA maybe?"

She shrugs her shoulders and scrunches her eyebrows together, considering. "I honestly don't know, Pete. Before I met you, I planned for the life I was expected to live. First my BBA, then my MBA, all leading up to becoming CEO of Granz Textiles when my Dad retires. It was never what I wanted to do. But now?" She exhales and I feel the weight of her words, filled with both melancholy and hope.

"Gina, you can do whatever you want. There are no limits here. No one is telling you what you should or shouldn't do anymore. Whatever you want, I'm behind you. What's it gonna be? Off the top of your head, the first thing that comes to your mind. What do you see yourself doing with the rest of your life?"

I feel the toe of her shoe rub up against my pant leg, caressing the side of my calf. It's distracting, but comforting too. It reminds me that I want to spend the rest of my life impassioned by her subtle touch.

She picks up her spoon and studies her reflection in it as if it'll give her answers. Regretfully, she puts it back down on the table.

"I don't want to be stuck in a huge house all day tending to the staff, that's for sure. I want a simple life I can enjoy with my handsome husband--and maybe," her eyes lift tentatively into mine, "maybe my own dance studio."

I put my glass down on the table and lean back into my chair. "Then that's what we'll do."

Her smile is radiant, and I want to stay lost in it forever. Roberto interrupts our conversation, serving our golden slices ceremoniously. He deposits Gina's plate in front of her first. "Signorina! How good it is to see you again."

"It's wonderful to see you too, Roberto. Yours is the best pizza on the planet, and I'm honored to be able to enjoy it a second time."

Roberto claps his hands together and beams at her. "Signore Ferro is treating you well, then, sì?"

Gina winks in my direction. "Meh! That stronzo? He's a little rough around the edges, but most of the time he's okay."

The room echoes with the boom of Roberto's laughter. He stretches his arms out wide, placing one on the back of my chair and one on the back of Gina's. He shifts his weight in my direction and claps me once on the back. "Never let go of this one, Signore Ferro."

My eyes lock on Gina's as I answer. "I don't plan to, Roberto." He claps my back again and returns to the kitchen, barking out orders to his staff in Italian.

I rub my bottom lip with a finger, watching her closely. "I see you've been brushing up on your Italian. So, I'm an asshole, am I?"

She lifts one shoulder, the one with the elaborate rose tattoo, and smiles sweetly. "Sometimes, but I love you just the way you are." She lifts her slice of pizza from off of her plate and bites off the tip. Her eyes flutter closed, and she moans, visibly enjoying the taste.

With a mouth still half full she says, "Omigod, Pete. Can we hire Roberto as our chef?"

I lift up my own slice and take a bite, pondering what she just said. "We already have a chef. Don't you like him?"

Her brows pull in, and she tilts her head to the side. "About that. Peter, it'll be many years before the Ferro Mansion is yours and the idea of living in the same house as your family--" She exaggerates a full body shudder. "I thought, maybe, after the wedding we could get a place of our own. Maybe an apartment in the city or a house by the water. Just you and me. I know your quarters are big enough to give us whatever privacy we want, but it's not going to be our house for a long time still. Wouldn't it be nice to have sex on the breakfast table without worrying about someone walking in on us?"

"Um... Did I just hear you say you want me to buy you a house so you can jump me on the breakfast table? You drive a hard bargain, but your terms sound reasonable enough. How big are we talking here?"

"The breakfast table? Well, that's kind of insulting. My ass isn't that wide, we don't need a very big breakfast table for banging on it." She shifts in her chair, trying to peek at her rear end.

"No, smartass. The house. How big of a house do you want?" The visual itself, the thought of being able to make love to her wherever, whenever, however, without anyone else interrupting is appealing. She's right. My family's house is huge, but it sometimes feels like there are eyes everywhere. It's one of the many reasons I never brought girls home with me before Gina.

"You'll need a library," she begins, ticking rooms off on her fingers, "and we'll need a room large enough to dance in, a bedroom for us, and maybe a nursery or two?" She bites down on her lower lip and chews nervously, waiting for my response.

It's an indirect question--do I want to have kids with her?

I suddenly realize we've never talked about this outside my mother's contract, but it's obviously something she's given a great deal of thought. I momentarily forget we're in a restaurant, my chest expanding, pulse quickening. Gina's studying my reaction closely, so I try to stay as neutral as possible. I've spent my entire adult life trying not to accidentally have kids, but with Gina, the thought is heartwarmingly overwhelming. I place my hand over my pocket, feeling the ring box tucked away. She really does make me want to have it all.

"How about we get a house with three nurseries, just in case we get carried away." My lips tug up on one side, waiting for her reaction. I never know what to expect of her.

"Overachiever." Her tone sounds sarcastic, but her face radiates happiness, her worry completely gone. We don't go into specifics, but the simple knowledge that we both want a family together eventually is all we need for now.

After dinner, we step out into the wintry night air. Gina wraps her arms around my waist and looks up, a tired smile on her face.

“Thank you for an amazing evening, Pete. You really were listening to me, weren't you?”

I look up at the night sky, take a deep breath, and smile down at her. It’s time. “This date isn't quite over yet. There’s one more place I want us to go.”

I take Gina's hand, lacing our fingers together, and head toward the other side of the street, but she tugs me back. "Pete, are you sure we shouldn't just go home? Please? It's late, and I'm tired."

She places her hand in front of her mouth as she yawns and rests her head on my chest, over my coat. Wrapping my arms around her, I stroke her hair, brushing it out of her face, and lift her chin with a finger. "Just this last thing. I promise it won't take long, and you won't regret it. For me?"

I bend down and drop a small kiss on each of her heavy eyelids. I feel bad for insisting, but I want everything to be perfect.

Lazily, she nods her head and mumbles a small, "Mmmhmmm," allowing me to lead her away.